The Federal Government has officially banned the depiction of money rituals and the glamorization of vices in Nigerian films. This decision was announced by the Executive Director and CEO of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, during a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu on Wednesday.
The event, organized by the NFVCB and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, gathered movie producers, directors, actors, and leaders of various guilds and associations within the Nigerian film industry. Entertainment
Husseini emphasized the urgent need for bold actions from parents, guardians, and stakeholders to address the industry’s current challenges.
“When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, about the need to create subsidiary legislation to limit the display of smoking in Nigerian movies, he recognized the necessity to include money rituals. The new regulation also covers ritual killings and the glamorization of other crimes to further sanitize the film industry,” Husseini explained.
He announced that the Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has approved the regulation under section 65 of the NFVCB Act 2004. The new regulation, titled “Prohibition of Money Rituals, Ritual Killings, Tobacco, Tobacco Products, Nicotine Product Promotion, and Glamorization in Movies, Music Videos, and Skits Regulations 2024,” has been forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Justice for gazetting.
Husseini stated that the sensitization program aims to educate stakeholders about the dangers of portraying smoking in Nigerian movies. He noted that, in addition to health risks, glamorizing smoking in films negatively influences teenagers and young adults, the largest segment of Nigerian movie viewers.
The NFVCB plans to launch detailed awareness programs in secondary schools, tertiary institutions, local communities, faith groups, and other organizations.
“The film industry holds a central position in the entertainment and creative sector, and we must continue to prioritize its progress. The NFVCB supports smoke-free movies and a smoke-free Nollywood. We seek your collaboration to develop creative content that discourages smoking and promotes positive health messages,” Husseini said.
He further explained that, following extensive discussions, the NFVCB, in collaboration with CAPPA, decided to introduce ‘subsidiary regulations’ to address smoking in movies since this issue was not clearly outlined in the existing law.
“The NFVCB is ready to take the lead on this matter and has already begun implementing innovative strategies to fulfill its mandate,” Husseini concluded.
NAN reports that the Board is responsible for registering all film and video outlets across the country and maintaining a register of these outlets, among other duties.
